Utility control devices, such as light switches, dimmers, sockets and the like, are in common use today in various environments, such as homes, offices and factories. While great advances have been made in materials and in the manufacture of these devices, the actual manner in which the devices are wired into circuits has not changed significantly over the years since their first introduction into construction. Thus, electrical power is distributed throughout a premises by running individual wires from a power source to a load with branches run to locations where switches are to be wired into the circuit. These switches, as is well-known, are used to control power to fixed lights, to power outlets (wall sockets) and to a myriad of other devices. Typically, in the United States, this wiring carries 110 Volts, 60 cycle AC and in some countries 220 Volts 50 cycle AC. The wiring terminates in a metal or polymer box (utility box) and then a switch or other device is manually connected to the wires in the utility box. The electrical device is then fastened into the utility box and a face plate covers the device and covers any exposed wiring.
The plate serves the function of making the device less obtrusive to a decorated room as well as serving to keep fingers out of harms way, i.e., avoiding electrocution. The electrocution issue, along with fire hazard issues also arise when a person desires to change a switch, either because an existing device fails, or because it is desired to place another type of device in its place.
In addition to the above-discussed dangers of changing an electrical power control device, a further problem exists because the wires are pre-run to each outlet box. For example, if a person desires to convert a switch box to a socket (assuming the height and position of the box were otherwise acceptable) it would often be impossible since the wiring to the box often only contains the switched leg (for example only the black wire leg) of the circuit and not both legs (black and white wires) of the AC circuit.
Recently, as shown in one or more of the above-identified patent applications, there has been a desire to consolidate a number of operations into a single location. These operations have historically been performed by individual controls dedicated to each function. For example, a typical home has a controller for the thermostat, one for an alarm system and a number of controllers for each light in the home. When designing a home (or office or any other space) one of the challenges facing the designer is where to place all of these controls. This has often resulted in a number of switches being placed together for controlling a number of similar functions. Rearranging the location of one or more of these switches after construction is finished is at best a difficult process typically only performed by experienced and expensive skilled labor. It is common for the labor costs to be many times the cost of the device itself.